While signs of discomfort in the Grand Alliance in Bihar had started getting visible around a month ago, it was the developments of January 13 that eventually made Nitish Kumar walk out of the INDIA bloc.
Kumar, after taking oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time on Sunday, said he left INDIA because "not everything was alright". However, sources told India Today TV that the JD(U) leader had made up his mind to sever ties on January 13 after the opposition bloc held a virtual meeting. Cdmo Contract Development And Manufacturing Organization
Kumar, who was already miffed with Congress for dragging the seat-sharing talks, was apparently hoping to be named the coordinator of the INDIA bloc. However, Mallikarjun Kharge was eventually chosen as the chairperson of the Opposition alliance after the Congress chief's name was proposed by Mamata Banerjee.
Nitish Kumar had decided on the same day that he wanted to break the relationship, sources said. Miffed over the developments during the video conference, Kumar had also said he didn't want the post and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav should be made the convenor.
From criss-crossing India to unite Opposition leaders against the BJP to hosting the first meeting of INDIA bloc in Patna just months ago, it was no secret that Kumar had national ambitions, although he himself always denied having such aspirations.
After January 13, a very close associate of Nitish Kumar contacted a senior Union Minister. After speaking with the BJP central leadership, the Union Minister gave the green signal.
However, BJP state leaders were not ready to welcome back Nitish to the NDA fold after the JD(U) leader, who has earned the moniker of "Paltu Ram", deserted the NDA in 2022 and came back to RJD. In fact, Nitish had severed his ties with the RJD and went back to the NDA in 2017.
The BJP Bihar leadership was called to Delhi to resolve the issue.
Aware of Nitish Kumar's flip-flops, the BJP decided to make Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both sharpest critics of Nitish Kumar, as deputy CMs. This was done to keep Nitish Kumar on a tight leash.
This was not all. The BJP will have more representation in the Cabinet as per the formula that was adopted during the 2020 government formation. However, the plum Home Ministry will remain with the Chief Minister.
There will be discussion on seat distribution for the Lok Sabha election also. JD(U)'s demand of 17 seats under the 2019 formula may not fructify. This is so because there are some new allies, like Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) of Jitan Ram Manjhi and Ram Vilas Paswan's party has broken up.
Contract Development And Contract Manufacturing Organization Therefore, both the BJP and JD(U) will have to step back from the 17-17 formula.Published By: Abhishek DePublished On: Jan 29, 2024Tune InMust Watch